1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a locking mechanism for a switch-on button of a circuit breaker.
A locking mechanism for a switch-on button of a circuit breaker is known from DE 10 2005 038 629. The therein disclosed locking mechanism for the switch-on button of the circuit breaker comprises a force transmission element for transmitting the force exerted on the switch-on button at switch-on to a tripping mechanism, which force transmission element is swiveled away in the case of a switched-on circuit breaker so that the switch-on button cannot initiate re-actuation.
2. Brief Summary of the Invention
The object of the present invention is to implement a locking mechanism of simple and inexpensive design for a switch-on button of a circuit breaker.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a locking mechanism for a switch-on button of a circuit breaker, which locking mechanism has a locking element rotatably mounted on the switch-on button, which locking element, retained in a first position directly by a first spring, allows the switch-on button to be actuated and, in the switched-on state of the circuit breaker, can be moved directly by a second spring to a second position, wherein in the second position the switch-on button of the circuit breaker is locked against actuation.
Such an implementation of a locking mechanism for the switch-on button of a circuit breaker has a simple and inexpensive design because, due to the rotatable mounting of the locking element on the switch-on button and the direct positioning in a first or second position, as the case may be, by a first or second spring, only a small number of components are used to implement effective locking of a switch-on button and therefore reliably prevent re-actuation of the switch-on button in the case of an already switched-on circuit breaker. In other words, with such a locking mechanism a so-called reclosure interlock is implemented whereby, with the circuit breaker already ON and the closing spring of the stored-energy spring mechanism re-loaded, re-actuation of the switch-on button is prevented.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first spring engages with the switch-on button and the locking element.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention the second spring engages with the locking section and a switch shaft lever of the circuit breaker.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, a locking bolt of the locking element engages in a locking recess of a support plate of the circuit breaker in the second position of the locking element.
Such arrangements of a first spring and second spring and of a locking bolt on the locking element, said locking bolt engaging in a locking recess of the support plate of the circuit breaker, provide a simple means of implementing an effective reclosure interlock for a circuit breaker of this kind, wherein a force exerted by the second spring in the second position of the locking element is greater than a force exerted by the first spring on the locking element in the second position as long as the circuit breaker is in its ON state, so that during this state the locking or more specifically the reclosure interlock is reliably maintained.